Liverpool's Smooth Succession

When Klopp delivered his farewell speech after nine years as manager at Anfield on May 19, 2024, he asked Liverpool fans to fully support his successor. From the middle of the Anfield pitch, the legendary coach then sang a song for his successor. "Arne Slot, lala... lalala. Arne Slot, lala... lalala".

Almost a year later, Arne Slot responded by giving the highest appreciation to Klopp after leading Liverpool to win the 2024/2025 Premier League title, Sunday (27/4/2025). When asked about his predecessor, Slot answered, "I don't want to talk much. I just want to express my appreciation for Juergen. Juergen Klopp, lala... lalala. Juergen Klopp, lala... lalala," which was followed by the roar of the whole stadium.

That moment illustrates the smooth succession of coaching at Liverpool, which has become one of the keys to the success of "The Reds" in winning the English League trophy this season. It can be said that it was only a year ago that Klopp intervened in the coaching regime of his successor by asking supporters to provide full support from day one.

After that, Klopp moved on. He was no longer around the center of "power" at Anfield. Thus, his successor could freely carry out his duties.

Slot is focused on continuing what Klopp left behind without the intervention of his predecessor, although on a personal level, they occasionally still exchange messages to greet each other. The 46-year-old coach brought his own coaching staff, with no figures remaining from the previous regime. Klopp also did not entrust his close associates, let alone his family, to secure positions. The only legacy of Klopp that Slot still utilizes is the players along with their culture of hard work and togetherness.

The Dutch coach brought a new philosophy or approach to the game. If Klopp mostly applies the 4-3-3 scheme with gegenpressing, Slot is different. The former Feyenoord coach uses a 4-2-3-1 scheme with two midfielders as anchors in front of four defenders. Slot's Liverpool game is not as attractive as Klopp's heavy metal style, but it is more controlled and very effective.

Slot creatively utilizes the resources at hand. When he failed to get his target player, Martin Zubimendi, to fill the defensive midfielder position, Slot found a solution in Ryan Gravenberch. He successfully transformed the young player who initially played more as a box-to-box midfielder into a formidable defensive midfielder.

To optimize the attacking role of Mohamed Salah, his defensive responsibilities have been reduced. As acknowledged by the Egyptian forward, this has made him more effective, as evidenced by his contributions of 28 goals and 18 assists from 34 league matches. Salah leads the list of top scorers in the Premier League this season.

The coaching succession model of Liverpool can be applied in many other areas of life, such as politics, social issues, economics, and so on. When a president, governor, or CEO steps down, there is no need for interference that could lead to interpretations of "twin suns." Let the new leader focus on working according to their own style and philosophy.